Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has revealed Nathan Patterson is a doubt for this weekend's Old Firm derby.

Patterson a doubt

Patterson started against Slavia Prague in the Europa League on Thursday but was substituted after 78 minutes, with Jack Simpson coming in to replace him.

Speaking prior to this weekend's clash with Celtic, Gerrard revealed he is a doubt for the match. He said (via The Daily Record):

"In terms of the injury news we've come out of last night's game pretty well, Nathan Patterson had to be removed because he had quite a severe kick in the calf area that we're assessing this morning.

"So I'd say he's probably the only real big doubt, everyone else has come through pretty fine."

Blow

This is no doubt a big blow to Gerrard. He is already without his usual first-choice right-back James Tavernier, who is also the club captain and the Gers' top scorer so far this season (Transfermarkt). Since he was forced out of the team through injury, Patterson has stepped up and impressed. Even former Celtic winger Kris Commons has praised the 19-year-old, calling Patterson "excellent" after his performance against Slavia this week.

In his absence on Sunday, Gerrard would have a difficult decision to make. Leon Balogun has played on the right of the back four on occasion, but it is certainly not a position he is familiar, while Simpson is not accustomed to featuring in that position either. Whoever is chosen, the 55-time Scottish champions will be weaker without Patterson if he is unavailable.

In other news, Alan Hutton suggests this Rangers ace could leave Ibrox this summer.